Alexander
William MacHardy was born in 1894 at McLellan's Mountain, Pictou County,
Nova Scotia, Canada. His parents were Alexander Campbell MacHardy and
Isabella Fraser MacHardy. He had four brothers ( Evan, John, Duncan, and
Henry), and one sister Mary.
Alexander William MacHardy liked to be called Billy. He was not married
and had no children. He grew up on a prosperous farm, but was intrigued
with flying. He joined the Royal Air Force and conducted his cadet
training at Fort Worth Texas, United States .
He received his wings on April 18, 1918 and was promoted to
second lieutenant on April 24, 1918. He was posted to 2 Fighter
Squadron on August 7, 1918 in the South East area of France as a
Bristol Fighter pilot, flying Bristol F.2b aircraft. He was posted to
154 Fighter Squadron on September 10, 1918, but the squadron was
disbanded and he was sent to 20 Fighter Squadron on September 18, 1918,
also in the South East area of France.
His last mission follows.
On November 10, 1918, Second Lieutenant MacHardy departed Iris
Aerodrome (near present day Clary, France) at 1020, accompanied by
seven other Bristol aircraft. Second Lieutenant MacHardy was flying
Bristol number F6195 with his observer William Alexander Rodger of the
eighteenth Manitoba Regiment. Their mission was to support a formation
of De Havilland D.H. 9s on a bombing run in the South of Hainaut near
Charleroi, Belgium, where they encountered a large formation of German
Fokker DVIIs from the Justa 50 Squadron. The dogfight occurred 35
kilometres North East of Froid Chapelle, and was severe, with four
Fokkers, two Bristols and five de Havillands being destroyed.
Second Lieutenant MacHardy was shot down by the Justa 50
Squadron's Lieutenant Commander Hans von Freden at approximately 1135.
According to Gaston Descartes, who was five at the time, Second
Lieutenant MacHardy's airplane experienced difficulty and crashed in a
field one kilometre from Descartes home in Martinsart. It was Freden's
twentieth and last victory of the First World War. According to British
historians, Second Lieutenant MacHardy was the last Royal Air Force
pilot to be shot down during the First World War.

Durant le mois de mai 2018 , des fouilles ont été
éffectuées à Froichapelle , plus
précisement au hameau de Martinsart .
Le point 1 , l'endroit où une stèle est
posée sur le mur de la ferme , là où a
eu lieu la
commémoration .
Le point 2 , l'endroit où l'avion est
tombé et
où de nombreux morceaux de l'avion ont
été
retrouvés dans le sol .During
the month of mai 2018, excavations were carried out in Froichapelle,
more precisely in the hamlet of Martinsart.
Point 1, the place where a stele is placed on the wall of the farm,
where the commemoration took place.
Point 2, the place where the plane fell and where many pieces of the
plane were found in the ground.

Image
des fouilles , en bas de cette image on peut voir
relativement
bien conservé , après 100 ans dans le sol , le
chargeur
à munitions de l'avion .Image
of excavations, at the bottom of this image we can see relatively well
preserved, after 100 years in the ground, the ammunition magazine of
the plane .

Quelques
éléments retrouvés sur place et
exposés
lors de la réception à Froidchapelle le
10 novembre 2018 , ici le
radiateur de refroidissement de l'avion .Some
elements found on the spot and exposed during the reception at
Froidchapelle on November 10, 2018, here the cooling radiator of the
plane .

Ce 10 novembre avait lieu une commémoration à
Martinsart
, Froidchapelle , jour pour jour 100 ans après la
chute de
l'avion et le déçès des deux aviateurs.This
November 10 was held a commemoration at Martinsart, Froidchapelle, day
to day 100 years after the fall of the plane and the disasters of the
two airmen .

Left image : On this stone, it states:
Erected in memory of John MacHardy, a native of Strathdon Aberdeen Shire
N.B. Who departed this life on the 7th day of May 1849 aged 69 and also
in memory of Janet Fraser his spouse, a native of Inverness Scotland.
She died the 18th of August 1859 aged 77 years.

Right image : On this
stone it reads:
Erected in memory of William MacHardy who while prosecuting his studies
with a view to the ministry died on the 8th of March 1852 in the 33rd
year of his age. He bequeathed all that he possessed of the world to
the Free Church College at Halifax. And also in memory of Simon D.
Fraser McHardy who departed this life on the 27th of November 1839,
aged 15 years. He was a brother to the former.

Left image : On this stone it reads:
Erected in memory of Annie, daughter of John & Janet McHardy of
McLellan's Mountain. Died March 15th 1861 aged 39 years.Center image : This stone has three sides that
read:
Erected in loving remembrance of Joanna Campbell. Beloved wife of
Alexander McHardy of McLellan's Mountain, died January 31st 1888 in the
62nd year of her age. An affectionate wife. A kind mother-a sincere
Christian.
In memory of John, son of Alexander & Joanna MacHardy born
November 6th 1854. Died February 22nd 1855, aged 4 months. Also Jane
Amelia, their daughter, born July 27th 1861, died December 22nd 1884
aged 23 years 4 months and 26 days.Right image : Last side reads: In memory of
Alexander MacHardy died October 31, 1907 aged 80 years.